The winter storm warning issued by Environment Canada ended for Moose Jaw and area Friday just after 9 a.m., but the damage was already done.
“The city received around 20 to 25 centimetres of snow last night,” Moose Jaw Public Works Manager Duane Grado told the Times-Herald. “Anything at 20 cm and above makes us declare our emergency snow plan.”
He said Friday and today would entail getting as many of the blocked city streets cleared as possible.
“We have many places that are blocked with three foot snow drifts,” Grado said. “We’ll be back out starting at 10 p.m. Sunday and again Monday morning at 7:30 a.m.”
He estimates the city should be in good shape by Thursday.
By Friday morning, many Moose Javians were left stuck in their tracks, with vehicles lining the sides of the roads.
“We’re probably at about a three to four hour wait time right now,” Walker’s Towing Service dispatcher Marilyn Carter said about the volume of calls they received by late Friday morning. “Our taxis are behind too, because their getting stuck too.”
RCMP Moose Jaw detachment had a busy Thursday night on the highways. “Lots of people in the ditch,” was Sgt. Dean Bohlken’s first reply when asked about the night’s activities. “But, we did come through it relatively unscathed. You could tell more people were paying attention to weather reports after Tuesday.”
Tuesday's blowing and drifting snow caused icy highways that results in three fatalities in southern Saskatchewan.
He said Highway 2 north and south of Moose Jaw saw the most stranded drivers, and recommends drivers follow weather reports and slow down when visibility and high winds are a factor.
According to Prairie South School Division and Holy Trinity Catholic School Division, all bus routes were cancelled Friday, but all schools were open for those students who could arrive safely.
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